Strengthening Global Environmental Governance Through Criminal Law: A Comparative Study of Indonesia and the European Union
Rendy Airilangga, Lolita Fitriyana, Muhammad Galuh Pamungkas Wahyu Ramadhan, Rury Elva

Faculty of Law Universitas Negeri Surabaya

Abstract

Environmental degradation has become a global concern that requires strong legal frameworks to ensure sustainable protection of natural resources. Criminal law serves as one of the most effective instruments to deter and sanction environmental violations. This study examines the environmental protection efforts through criminal law under Indonesia^s Law Number 32 of 2009 on Environmental Protection and Management and compares them with the European Union Directive 2024/1203 on environmental crime. Using a comparative legal methodology and normative-juridical analysis, the research explores the scope of criminal liability, enforcement mechanisms, and sanction systems in both jurisdictions.Findings indicate that Indonesia^s framework provides a broad basis for criminal liability, including individual and corporate actors, but faces challenges in enforcement, institutional capacity, and judicial consistency. Meanwhile, the EU Directive 2024/1203 emphasizes harmonization of environmental crimes across Member States, corporate accountability, and cross-border enforcement as part of its global environmental governance approach. The comparative analysis highlights both convergences-such as the recognition of corporate criminal liability-and divergences, particularly in enforcement efficiency and international cooperation. This study concludes that aligning Indonesia^s environmental criminal law with evolving global standards, as reflected in the EU Directive, would strengthen deterrence, enhance institutional effectiveness, and promote a globally coherent response to environmental crimes.

Keywords: Environmental Protection,Corporate Criminal Liability,Sustainable Development

Topic: Governance, Policy, and Education of Coastal Area